METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for monitoring a product cycle in the production of plastic containers, wherein a plastic preform is provided and a plastic container with a marking is produced by a blow moulding process, which marking is configured to uniquely identify the plastic container, to wherein the production of the marking takes place during a manufacturing process of a plastic preform or the plastic container.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a product cycle comprising the production of plastic containers, wherein a plastic preform is provided and a plastic container with a marking is produced by a blow moulding process, which marking is configured for uniquely identifying the plastic container, wherein the marking is produced during a production process of a plastic preform or of the plastic container.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking is applied by a mechanical action on the plastic material of the plastic preform or the plastic container.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product circuit is a product circuit for recyclable plastic containers.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking is a topological marking.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking is applied in a heated state of the plastic material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking is applied to the container during the blowing process.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein during the stretch blow moulding process a first area of the plastic preform is deformed and a second area of the plastic preform is not deformed and the marking is applied in the first area.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the blowing process the plastic preform is expanded inside a blow mould against an inner wall of this blow mould and the marking is produced by the plastic material being applied to the inner wall.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the marking is carried out by a marking production device arranged or formed on or in the inner wall of the blow mould.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a stamping element is introduced into the blow mould in addition to the plastic preform.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a further step in which, a first information which is characteristic for the plastic container, a filling material of the plastic container and/or the marking is stored in a memory device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking is applied to the container without the use of additional consumables.

13. A mould, in particular a blow mould, for producing a plastic container, wherein this mould has a plurality of blow mould parts which are configured to be assembled to form a cavity within which the plastic containers can be moulded, wherein these blow mould parts have an inner wall against which the plastic material of the plastic container can be pressed, wherein in at least one region of this inner wall a marking production device is arranged which is configured for applying a marking to the plastic container, wherein this marking production device can be changed so that different markings can be arranged on different plastic containers.

14. The mould according to claim 13, wherein the marking production device has at least one projection element which is arranged in a predetermined region of the inner wall and which is movable relative to the inner wall.

15. An apparatus for producing plastic containers comprising a mould according to claim 13 and an actuator for adjusting the marking production device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Further advantages and embodiments can be seen in the attached drawings:

[0055] In the drawings:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a diagram illustrating the method according to the invention;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a roughly schematic representation of a blow moulding machine;

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a roughly schematic representation of a blow mould;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a representation of a side part of a blow mould; and

[0060] FIG. 5 shows a representation of a further embodiment of a method according to the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a diagram illustrating a method according to the invention. In this method, plastic preforms 5 are produced by means of an optional production device 4 such as an injection moulding machine. A marking M can already be incorporated into these plastic preforms in this method step.

[0062] However, it would also be possible for (not yet marked) plastic preforms to be made available by means of a (not shown) reservoir. The reference sign 6 indicates a transport device which transports the (marked or unmarked) plastic preforms to a blow moulding machine 2.

[0063] This blow moulding machine 2 preferably has an upstream oven (not shown) which heats the plastic preforms. The plastic preforms are then expanded in the stretch blow-moulding machine 2 to form plastic containers and in particular plastic bottles. If the marking M was not already applied during the production of the plastic preforms, it is now applied during the blow moulding process.

[0064] The plastic containers marked M are then transported to a further processing device 8 and processed further there. This further processing device can be, for example, a filling device which fills the containers with a liquid and in particular with a beverage.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a blow moulding machine 2, which has a rotatable carrier 28 on which a plurality of blow moulds 20 are arranged. These blow moulds are each part of (not shown in more detail) forming stations, which are each used to form the plastic preforms into plastic containers.

[0066] The individual blow moulds 20 each have side parts 22, 24, and a bottom part (not shown).

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a blow mould 20, which has two side parts 22 and 24 and a base part 26. A marking production device 30 is integrated into the side part 24. This marking production device has a number of pins 32, each of which can be moved in the direction P1. It can be seen that in FIG. 3 three such pins protrude into the interior of the blow mould and one pin is retracted. Thus, in this example, the marking would be produced by the three pins. Preferably, the marking device has at least 5, preferably at least 10 and more preferably at least 20 such pins.

[0068] With a suitable number of pins, numerous different markings can also be created in this way.

[0069] The reference sign 34 roughly schematically indicates an actuator for moving the pins. It is possible that such an actuator 34 is assigned to each of the pins 32. Preferably, the actuator is a piezo actuator. This actuator or these actuators can be integrated in the side part 24 but also in a (not shown) carrier of the blow mould.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of a side part 24. Here, one can see an area B in which the above-mentioned marking production device is arranged.

[0071] FIG. 5 shows an illustration of a further method according to the invention. Here is a stamp to generating device 42 which generates a stamp 44 having a specific marking and/or a negative of this marking. This stamp is preferably inserted into the mould 24 during the blow moulding process, thus producing the marking M on the container 10.

[0072] The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention, provided that they are individually or in combination new compared to the prior art. It is further pointed out that the individual figures also describe features which may be advantageous in themselves. The skilled person immediately recognises that a certain feature described in a figure can also be advantageous without adopting further features from this figure. Furthermore, the skilled person recognises that advantages can also result from a combination of several features shown in individual figures or in different figures.